The 26-year-old singer/actress took to Instagram on September 23 to say that she's taking a "step back."

Posting a glowing selfie of herself smiling, she wrote of the pic: "Mood lol (I was looking at myself in the mirror -- like an idiot!) Update: taking a social media break. Again. As much as I am grateful for the voice that social media gives each of us, I am equally grateful to be able to step back and live my life present to the moment I have been given."

She continued, "Kindness and encouragement only for a bit! Just remember -- negative comments can hurt anybody's feelings. Obvi."

The news was a shock to fans, as Gomez is Instagram's most popular celebrity with an astounding 143 million followers. But the 'It Ain't Me' singer is in a great place in her life. After a fan commented "so glad to see u so HAPPY recently," Gomez reportedly responded, "best I've ever been!"

She previously revealed in 2015 that she took a break from the spotlight to undergo chemotherapy to treat her condition, despite reports claiming she had entered rehab for addiction.

In addition, Gomez recently announced her charity work with A21, a global anti-human trafficking organisation.

Gomez has been open about choosing to limit her online exposure, as it can have negative effects on her mental health.

In an Instagram post explaining her new perspective she explained, "As I'm aware there will always be interests in one's personal life because that's the pace of our 'social' generation. I'm grateful for my position and I will always find ways to make my job more about others and giving back -- all while having the best time with my music, fashion, film and my love for learning about the world that I'm eager to tap into more and more."